Merry-go-round



J. A. SCHARF MERRY- GO -ROUND July 5, 1932.

Filed July 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l M M me m MA W a B J S m w, 7

ATTORNEY July 5, 1932. J.' YA.ISCHARFI v v -1,866,490

MERRY- GO-ROUND Filed July 14, 1930 2 ShGQtS-ShfiGt 2 IN ENTOR WITNESSJohn 116072 07";

WW/ BY MM Vie ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STA i JOHN A SCHARF,OF RIOHWOOD, OHIO MERRY-GO-ROUND Application filed July 14, 1930. SerialNo. 467,932.

My invention relates to mechanical toys of the type known asmerry-go-rounds, more particularly to merry-go-rounds adaptedparticularly for use by children, and it con- 6 sists in thecombinations, constructions and arrangements herein shown and described.

An object of my invention is to provide a merry-go-round adapted forpedal operation and for particular use in home and childrens 1recreation centers which may be easily taken down and set up foroperation and stored in a small place. 7

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed whichv will be ofexceedingly simple construction,necessitating the use of only a'few parts during the manufacture andwhich will require only a few simple operations on the part of the userfor setting the same up for operation and taking down the same forstorage.

A still further object of my inventionis to provide a device of the typedescribed which will be readily adjustable to fit the needs ofindividual operators.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a device of thetype described which will be simple to manufacture and does not get outof order easily.

i Other objects and advantages will appear asthe specification proceedsand the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

My device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis application in which: a V.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of my device; i 1

- Figure 2 is a side view of my device;

' Figure 3 is a sectional view, on line 3-3 of Figure 1; and 1 q rFigure 4: is a sectional detail view, on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention 1 make use of a'standard 1 consisting oftop and bottom 5 plates 2 and 3' and a plurality of legs 4:

hingedly connected for lateral swinging motion between said plates aboutany suitable means such as the bolt and nut fasteners, in dicated at 5.It will be noted that these legs A; are soformedand so disposed thattheir outer extremities extend downwardly from a plane in which theirinner extremities are fastened, thereby securing elevation of said innerextremities and their cooperating plates 2 and 3 above the base on whichsaid legs are mounted. I

The plates 2 and 8 are each provided with a vertically extending bore 6and 7 in alinement. These bores are provided with .keyways in which amast 8 is fixedly keyed. It is about this mastthat the movable portionsof my device operate. i

This mast 8 extends vertically a suitable distance to secure forrotation at its upper extremity a bearing member 9 which bearing memberis secured to the frame of the rotatable portion of my device formounting said frame for rotation about the mast 8. This bearing membermaybe supplied with balls or other anti-friction members for cooperationwith the mast and said bearing member for securing easy rotation of saidbearing member about said mast.

At the base of the mast there is further provided a bearing casting 10,which bearing casting 10 is rotatably mounted relative to the mast 8 andis adapted to further mount portions of the rotatable frame for rotationabout the same. The casing 10 may have balls or other anti-frictionmembers disposed therebetween and the plate 2 for securing easy rotationof said bearing casting 10 about the mast 8. The bearing casting isprovided with slots 11 about the periphery thereof which slots provideready means for mounting supporting bars 12. Y

The supporting bars 12, as appears most 7 clearly in Figure 1, supportat their outer extremities the lower portions of similarly formed frames13, a pair of frames 13 being supported adjacent the outer extremitiesof v each of the rods 12. These frames 13 are of substantially U-shapedformation and are connected to the rods 12 at the lower portions or thehorizontal bar of the U. The bowed or bent portions 14 of these U-shapedmembers 13 are interconnected by bracing rods 15 and 16 which extendtherebetween and are retained in position by any suitable means suchasthe nuts shown thereon.

At the upper extremities of each pair of these U-shaped members 13 seats17 are secured by means of bolts 18 which project through the frames orby any other suitable fastener engageable with the bent over portions ofsaid frames and the seat. These seats are provided with swingablymounted backs 18 which are swivelled or hinged, as

indicated at 19, thus adapting the same to be a'd'usted to desiredpositions.

ounted on either side of these seats17 and the back 18 to form armsthereof isany desired figure, which is shown in this embodiment asconsisting of a horse 19. These figures are provided in similarly formedpairs for cooperation with each set offrames and each seat and areadapted to be swivelled to said seat for swivel movement in a verticalplane, as indicated at 20. 'The rear portion of these figures aresecured to the back 18 by means of the adjustable screw 21 which projects through each of the figures and into one of the holes or apertures22 provided in series on either side of the back 18.

For further supporting the frames and the seats each of the units formedby said frames and seats has a plurality of supporting bars 23, 24 and25 which bars 23 to 25 inclusive are secured to the bearing member 9 atthe top of the mast 8 and to portions of the frames 13 and the seats 17the horizontally extending bars 23 being secured beneath the seats byfasteners such asindicated at 26 and the downwardly extending rods 2eand 25 being secured to the bracing rods 15 and 16 respectively at theirinner extremities.

which are occupied by the users of the merrygo-round about the mast 8 Iequip said mast adjacent the bearing member 10 placed thereabout with abeveled ring gear 27 whichis ke ed or otherwise suitably fixed to themast.

' or cooperation with said beveled ring gear for rotation relativethereto for rotating w the frame about the mast beveled gears 28 Theseare provided for each seating unit. beveled gears 28 are mounted forrotation with the bearing casting 10 by means of the journal frame 29secured to said bearing casting and journaling each of said gears forrotation. When these gears 28 are rotated it is obvious that they willcarry with them-this frame 29, the bearing casting 10 and consequentlythe frame which carries the seats.

For rotating the gears 28 about the ring gear 27 for rotation of theframe each of said gears is equipped with a crank shaft 30 in tegrallyconnected therewith and mounted for rotation in a bearing 31 provided oneach of the supporting rods 12 substantially centrally of the framemembers 13. As will apear most clearly from an examination of igure 1.each of these crank shafts 30 has a pair of similarly formed andoppositely disposed cranks 32 and 33 adapted to be po- .mounting ofape'dal'38 for engagement with the foot of an operator. The short arms 37of the bell crank lever are connected by swivelled connecting'rods39 tothe respective cranks of'that particular lever. Suitable spacer sleeves40 are mounted on the rod 16 between the frames 13 and the pedal levers35 and between saidpedal levers to assure proper alinement of each ofsaid pedals with its respective crank.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my device-iseasily understood. The apparatus is set up as heretofore described andthe back of the seat adjusted by means of the adjusting screw engageablethrough the sides of the figures 9 w and with the apertures provided inthe back of the seat to suit the needs of an individual operator. Themerry-go-round is then easily set into rotation by the engagement of thefoot of the operator With the pedals for operation of the cranks whichcontrol rotation of F t f t 1F the gears 28 about the ring gear 27 asiseasily or securing a ro a ion 0 1e sea s -1 understood V When itisdesired to take down the apparatus for storage or for other purposes thefigures forming the arms of the seats are re- 7 moved by removing theadjusting screws and frames are removed from the bars 12 by releasingthe fasteners securing the same therei to, and the fasteners connectingthe bars 23 to 25 inclusive with the'portion of the frame and seat. Theoperator may then remove said'rods 23'to 25 inclusive by either disconnectlng them from the bearing member 9 or sliding said member 9 from thetop of the mast 8. It is then only necessary for the operator to,disconnectthe swivel connecting rods from the cranks, remove the bearingcap frame 29. This journal frame 29 may then he slid from the mast 8,after which the mast 8 may be slid from the bores in the plates 1 and 2.After these operations thelegs 4 may be swivelled about their pivotsinto a com-,1

pact formation. The parts thus being easily assembled may be closelypacked for storage as can be easily understood.

When it is desired to set up the mechanism the operator has only toreverse the above outlined operations.

It is thus seen that I have provided a me chanical toy of the type knownas a merrygo-round, which is particularly adapted for use in homes andrecreation centers by children because of its simplicity in assembly anddisassembly and operation.

It is also seen that I provide a merry-goround, the back, arms and sidesof which are readily adjustable to fit the needs of an individualoperator.

It is understood that the embodiment shown is illustrative rather thanlimiting of my invention, and that the same is to be limited in no wayexcept by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a merry-go-round, a vertically positioned mast, a pair of bearingcastings positioned for rotation on said mast, and including radiallyextending bars connected to one of said bearing castings, a pair ofsubstan tially U-shaped frame members positioned at the outerextremities of each of said radially extending bars, seats positioned onthe upper extremities of each of the pairs of U-shaped frame members,said U-shaped frame members having bowed portions extending in oppositedirections and underlying said seats, tie rods connected between eachpair of U-shaped members, and brace rods connected between said otherbearing and said tie rods for lending strength to said frames and seats.

2. In a merry-go-round, a vertically positioned mast, a frame having apair of bearing castings positioned for rotation on said mast andincluding radially extending bars connected to one of said bearingcastings, a pair of substantially U-shaped frame members positioned atthe outer extremities of each of said radially extending bars, seatspositioned on the upper extremities of each of the pairs of saidU-shaped frame members, said U- shaped members having bowed portionsextending in opposite directions and underlying said seat members, tierods connected between each pair of U-shaped members and medially of thebowed portions, a pair of foot pedals rockably mounted upon one of saidtie rods, a bevelled gear stationarily positioned about said mast,bevelled gears journalled in one of said bearings and in mesh with saidstationary gear, a a crank shaft journalled upon said radially extendingbars and having oppositely disposed cranks, pitmen'connected betweensaid cranks and footpedals, and brace rods connected between said otherbearing and said other tie rod for lending strength to said frames andseats.

JOHN A. SGHARF.

